Birth and Evolution of Restaurants

Today, across the globe, there are hundreds of different types of cuisine and a ridiculous amount of restaurants that try to cater to every taste out there, but in order to better understand the phenomenon that is food service, it is necessary to look into the past. Restaurants have existed in some shape or form over the course of history, including in ancient Greece and Rome. Even back then they would have a social significance attached to them and for that reason alone they were quite popular. However there were also other factors at play. In ancient times not a lot of homes had kitchens built into them and therefore a large number of individuals would need to eat out; also an added bonus was that the prices were also quite low.

Like today, the most popular of restaurants could be found back then in central areas, alongside major traffic lanes. While these type of food oriented venues have existed for the better part of human history, the modern concept of restaurant is much younger. In 18th century Paris, there were quite a large numbers of venues that would offer food and lodgings, the quality of those establishments however, was somewhat lacking in terms of comfort as it was often packed with people and would be quite dirty. As a consequence of that, a new type of restaurant was born, one that would be far more intimate, clean, with separate tables and menu’s that provided their clients with a good idea of what was on offer.

That general concept of restaurant exists even today but what should be noted is the fact that it was not a consequence of some food industry revolution in culinary terms, but rather it was born out of necessity, namely, hygiene. Today, as far as services go, restaurants are one of the businesses that are most scrutinized when it comes to hygiene, and for good reason.